Banknote-handling system

ABSTRACT

A banknote-handling system includes a plurality of banknote-handling machines ( 11, 12, . . .  ); a plurality of banks ( 16, 17 ) for accounting purposes, etc; a co-ordinating central unit ( 10 ); a transport system ( 18, 19 . . .  ) for transporting banknotes between the machines and the banks; a central bank ( 15 ) for monitoring the activity and banknote-handling of respective banks; and an electronic information and signal transmission system ( 1 - 2 ) for enabling individual and cooperative activities of the units to be achieved. The information and signal transmission system ( 1 - 2 ) is divided into two subsystems. One subsystem ( 1 ) includes the transmission of information and signals that relate to and have their basis in transactions between the banks ( 16, 17 ) and the general public/businesses relating to their activities in respect of banknote-handling. The other subsystem ( 2 ) includes the purely administrative and technical signal transmission required for the requisite co-operation between the various units included in the system, for instance co-ordinating central unit-vehicles, banknote-handling machines-banks, within the banknote-handling system.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a banknote-handling system of the kind defined in the preamble of the accompanying main Claim. In brief, the system includes a number of bank note-handling machines, a number of banks, a co-ordination centre, a transport system, a central bank, and an electronic information and signal transfer system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0002] According to the invention, the system is designed to divide the electronic information and signal system into two mutually separate subsystems, of which

[0003] one subsystem includes information and signal transfer that relates to and has its basis in transactions, for instance banknote-handling, between the banks on the one hand and the general public and businessmen on the other hand, with respect to their activities in the banknote-handling system; while

[0004] the other subsystem includes purely administrative and technical signal transfer necessary for the requisite co-operation between the various units, for instance coordination centre—vehicles, banknote-handling machines—banks, within the banknote-handling system.

[0005] Other characteristic features of an inventive banknote-handling system will be apparent from the accompanying claims.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0006] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the electronic information and signal transmission system, and FIG. 2 is an overview of the units included in the system.

[0007] Shown in FIG. 1 are two (10 ₁ and 10 _(n)) of a plurality (n in number) of TCC 2000-type banknote-handling machines. Each machine has the respective notations: Deposit/Withdrawal 31; Quality Sorting 32, One-time Cassette 33, Safety Boxe 34, Machine Statistics 35, Error Reports 36, Erroneous Handling 37, Suspected Forgeries 38, Banknote Storage Info 39. These notations are sufficiently self-explanatory to enable the invention to be fully understood with respect to principle, without requiring further explanation.

[0008] Requisite information and signal transmission from the first three parts (farthest to the left) relate to, and have their basis in, transactions, for example banknote-handling between the banks on the one hand and the general public and businesses on the other hand, with respect to their activities in the banknote-handling system.

[0009] The purely administrative and technical signal transmission required from the remaining six parts relates to the co-operation between the various units, for instance co-ordination centre—cars banknote-handling machines—banks and central bank—banks within the banknote-handling system.

[0010] Purely transaction data generally requires fast connections. For instance, when a person identifies himself/herself with his/her cash card, credit card or the like, it is necessary for the bank concerned to quickly validate the identity of said person, which requires a fast data connection.—This information flow subsystem 1 is designated “transaction data” in FIG. 1.

[0011] Purely administrative and technical signal transmission, such as machine statistics and error reports, for instance, does not, of course, require the same speed and can therefore be effected by slower transmissions, e.g. call connections/GSM.—This information flow subsystem 2 (the second subsystem) is designated “logistic and technical data” in FIG. 1.

[0012] In practice, it has been found appropriate to divide the second subsystem, in turn, into two separate subsystems, of which a technical third subsystem 21 includes technical signal transmission for necessary technical service to units included in the bank handling system, e.g. service vehicles, and an administrative fourth subsystem 22 that includes administrative signal transmission for necessary/desirable information concerning the current flow of banknotes in the banknote-handling system, e.g. optimisation of the banknote flows, control of banknote qualities, and so on, on behalf of the central bank, e g. Bank of Sweden and the police authorities.

[0013] The units which may be included in the inventive system will now be described briefly with reference to FIG. 2.

[0014] A number of bank handling machines or telling machines 11, 12, 13, 14, . . . 1n are disposed over a limited geographical area, for depositing and dispensing banknotes. The machines are designed for bundling and packaging in cassettes surplus banknotes of accepted quality on the one hand, banknotes of unacceptable quality on the other hand, and possible forged banknotes on the third hand.

[0015] The machines communicate with a common information centre 10 which receives information from and sends information and control signals to said machines, this information including factual information concerning the existence of stored banknotes and cassette-packaged banknotes, and also relating to detected banknotes of unacceptable quality and also banknotes that are suspected of being fraudulent.

[0016] The system also includes a plurality of transporters 18, 19, 20, 21 for transporting cassette-packaged banknotes to and from the machines 11 . . . 1n in response to an order from the information centre 10, depending on the information fed from the machines to the centre.

[0017] Indicated in the figure are two banks 16, 17 which may be the owners of machines and have responsibility for said machines in each respective region of the geographically limited area. The main responsibility in the community for banknote-handling lies with the central bank 15 (Bank of Sweden). The broken lines indicate communications connections between the various units (the banknote-handling machines/the central unit, the transporters/the central unit, the banks/the central unit, the banks/the central bank).

[0018] Because each machine, each transporter, each security bank used in conjunction with transporters for the transportation of cassettes/banknotes between the various units, and each person active within the system, can be given an individual identity (code), the central unit has control/knowledge of where banknotes/cassettes are located and their destination at each moment in time. This provides a very high degree of security to the novel, simplified and cost-reducing modern banknote-handling system.

[0019] In the drawing

[0020] Service vehicles 41; National Bank police authorities 42; GSM/other radio connection 28; called connection 29; technical service banknote transporter 21; optimisation of banknote flows, checking banknote qualities 22; fixed data connection 27; called connection (GSM) 26.

[0021] Reference Numerals

[0022]41=Service vehicles

[0023]42=National bank police authorities

[0024]28=GSM/other radio connection

[0025]29=Called connection

[0026]21=Technical service banknote transporter

[0027]22=Optimisation of banknote flows, checking banknote qualities

[0028]26=Called connection (GSM)

[0029]27=Fixed data connection

[0030]1=Transaction data

[0031]2=Logistic and technical data

[0032]31=Deposit/withdrawal

[0033]32=Quality sorting

[0034]33=One-time cassette

[0035]34=Safety box

[0036]35=Machine statistics

[0037]36=Error reports

[0038]37=Erroneous handling

[0039]38=Suspected forgeries

[0040]39=Banknote storage info 

1. A banknote-handling system comprising a) a plurality of banknote-handling machines for depositing and/or dispensing valuable documents, such as banknotes, cheques, etc; b) a plurality of banks for accounting transactions in said banknote-handling machines; c) a co-ordinating central unit for receiving information relating to the banknote content of the machines and to the need for banknotes reported by the general public and businesses or made apparent in some other way, and for sending command signals on the basis of said information and intended for the activation of units within the system; d) a transport system for effecting the requisite transportation of banknotes between the banknote-handling machines and the banks in response to the need at that time; e) a central bank for monitoring the activities of said banks in general and the actual handling of banknotes; and f) an electronic information and signal transmission system for enabling, in a known manner, the individual and mutual activities to take place in said units; characterised in that the electronic information and signal transmission system is divided into two mutually separate subsystems, of which one subsystem (1) includes the transmission of information and signals relating to, and having their basis in transactions, such as banknote-handling, between the banks on the one hand and the general public and businesses on the other hand, with respect to their activities within the banknote-handling system; and the other subsystem (2) includes the purely administrative and technical signal transmission required in respect of the requisite co-operation between the various units, for instance co-ordinating central unit—vehicles, banknote-handling machines—banks, within the banknote-handling system.
 2. A banknote-handling system according to claim 1, characterised in that the said other subsystem (2) is, in turn, divided into two separate subsystems, of which a technical, third system (21) includes the technical signal transmission or technical service required in respect of units included in the banknote-handling system; and an administrative, fourth (22) subsystem which includes administrative signal transmission in respect of the information that is required/desirable with regard to the current flow of banknotes in the banknote-handling system. 